


sixteen

by sunsetozier



Series: milkshake [1]
Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: M/M, anyway there's also a little bit of angst, bc he likes stan and eddie, but like richie has a lot of insecurities and assumes something is wrong with him, but like thats kinda it, gay shit!!!, gay shit!!!!!!!!, gay shit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, guys!!!!!!!!!!, not really - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-10-29 11:34:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17807237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunsetozier/pseuds/sunsetozier
Summary: Because he thinks this could be great, the three of them. He thinks that they’re sixteen and they’re stupid and they’re trying to figure out who they are and how they feel, but they could be great.





	sixteen

**Author's Note:**

> the titles to the one shots in this series will be based on their age as they grow up because titles are hard and i'm lazy and the point of this series if just to see streddie grow up together man

            When Eddie came out to his friends, this is not what he thought would come out of it.

            He thought they’d be supportive, which they have been, and he thought it might be a little awkward at first, but he never considered the awkwardness lingering. Sure, revealing that he’s gay does change the dynamic of their group a little, but only in small ways. No one tries to talk to him about girls anymore, and instead talk to him about boys, and they’re a little more careful with their words in public, just to make sure no one can overhear them and spread the word of Eddie’s sexuality to the rest of Derry. His mom would lose her shit, and he’d be shipped off to live in a church or something. Other than those few changes, plus some minor details in his life that had been tweaked upon revealing the truth, everything has been fine. The awkwardness should have vanished – and it did, for a little while.

            But there is an awkwardness now, a whopping three months after he sat them down in Bill’s garage and whispered this secret of his, let them in to see a part of who he is. Maybe the awkwardness is because he’s currently wedged in between two of his best friends at the movie theater and trying to make sense of the last three days. Or maybe it’s the fact that this is supposed to be a date.

            …both. It’s probably both.

            Stan’s pinky twitches where it’s brushing against Eddie’s, and the movie is in front of him, on a big screen and begging to be seen, but Eddie can’t say he knows a single thing about the plot, because suddenly Richie is reaching over his lap and placing his own hand on top of both Stan’s and Eddie’s, until it’s a knot of messily intertwined fingers and somewhat clammy palms. Part of Eddie thinks it’s a little gross, but the majority of him is too busy trying to remember to breathe.

            “You okay, Eds?” Richie asks, right against his ear, voice concerned but breath too warm and distracting for the sentiment to really sink in. All Eddie can do is press his lips together, suck in air through his nose to try and relieve his aching lungs, and nod his head once, a little too quick and curt.

            God, and Stan _giggles,_ an honest to god giggle, happy and airy and full of delight, and he softly says, “This movie is so bad, guys. I think

 

 

 

 

_there’s something wrong with me,” Richie whispered, hands clasped together and hanging between his knees, elbows resting against his thighs and head hanging, everything about his posture screaming shame. Slowly, Eddie closed his bedroom window, which Richie had just climbed through for the first time since the summer, and made his way over to sit next to Richie on his bed, cautiously placing a hand on Richie’s shoulder, silently urging him to go on. It took a moment before he did, and with his words came a horribly bitter laugh and an incredulous shake of his head that sent rain drops flying from his dripping curls – not that Eddie pointed that out, though any other time he would have. He just used his free hand to wipe away any drops that landed on him and listened intently as Richie continued with, “I didn’t- I didn’t realize it, I don’t think? But I also think I always knew about it, I just didn’t… I didn’t think about it. I just felt it, and didn’t bring it up, didn’t address it, didn’t…”_

_Eddie tightened his hold on Richie’s shoulder just enough to remind him that he wasn’t alone, and he softly said, “It’s okay. Whatever it is, it’s okay.”_

_Letting out a shaky breath, Richie ducked his head further, practically curling in on himself, as if he wanted nothing more than to disappear as he murmured, “I shouldn’t have come here.”_

_“I’m glad you did.” Eddie pulled his hand back, let it rest in his own lap, though his eyes stayed glued to Richie the entire time. “You know I’m here for you, right? And I… I think I know what this is about. Or, part of it, anyway. The part that I was involved in.”_

_A half-assed laugh pushed itself from Richie’s gut, but it was an empty sound, humorless and hollow and painful to hear. “You mean the part where I flirted with you?”_

_Eddie swallowed the lump in his throat with a nod. “Yeah. That part.”_

_“I shouldn’t have—”_

_“I know,” Eddie interrupted quickly. “It’s fine. I know why you were doing it.”_

_At that, Richie looked up, brows raised slightly, and Eddie was shocked to see tear tracks trailing down Richie’s blotchy cheeks. His ability to hide his crying has been an eerie issue since they were children, and Eddie wished, not for the first time, that he could have some sort of warning before taking in such a heartbreaking sight. “You know?” Richie asked, a little quiet and broken and afraid._

_Eddie nodded again and averted his gaze to the wall, closely examining each and every bump and crack leading up to the ceiling. “Because of Stan,” he said matter-of-factly. “You like him, right? But you don’t know if he likes boys, and you know I do, so you started flirting with me to try and distract yourself from the person you actually have feelings for. I get it, Richie. It’s fine.”_

_“I didn’t…” Richie trailed off, his voice breaking a little as he shook his head and buried his face in his hands. Eddie didn’t think too much of it, was still too busy staring at the wallpaper for any sort of distraction to realize what was happening, until a quiet, ugly little sob managed to break itself free from the back of Richie’s throat, a soft noise that felt a hundred time louder in the silence of the room._

_Instantly, Eddie was in action, falling to his knees on the floor in front of Richie and gingerly wrapping his fingers around Richie’s wrists, not yet tugging but keeping his hands there to alert Richie of his presence. “It’s okay,” Eddie said again, a little desperately, trying to think of what it would take to calm Richie down. “I’m not mad, I swear. If anything, it felt really nice, you know? Everyone’s been showing their support in their own ways, and even though I knew you were doing it because of how you feel about Stan, it still felt like your way of supporting me.” That only made Richie cry harder, shaking his head slightly and digging the heels of his palms into his eyes in a way that looked borderline painful._

_“It’s not—” Richie hiccupped, his fingers long enough to twist into his hair and yank on them without uncovering his eyes. Before he could do it a second time, Eddie tightened his grip on Richie’s wrists and kept them still, his heart cracking in his chest as Richie cried. “It’s not just because of Stan,” he managed to choke out. “It’s because- because—”_

_“Hey,” Eddie cut in, a little bit panicked. Richie’s chest was heaving but his breathing was choppy. “You gotta- Richie, you have to breathe. Take a deep breath.”_

_But Richie kept shaking his head and forced himself to finish, “It’s because of you, too! It’s not just Stan, it’s- it’s both of you, and I know I- I shouldn’t- I’m not supposed to—”_

_Finally, Richie heaved in some air, his words dwindling in the back of his throat. From where he was still kneeling on the floor, Eddie completely froze, his heart stuttering in his chest and his blood turning to ice in his veins. He couldn’t even make himself murmur encouragements as Richie started to calm down, could only blink slowly, unsurely, before he breathed out, “You’re not supposed to what?”_

_“Like you,” Richie finishes, shoulders sagging in some kind of defeat. “Both of you. It’s not that you’re boys, I don’t care about that, it’s that there’s two of you, and I know… that’s not normal, is it?”_

_“I don’t know,” Eddie said slowly, leaning back on his haunches and letting his hands fall to his sides. He’d never heard of such a thing, but there was a point in time when he’d never heard of gay people, either. Besides, even if it wasn’t normal, he wouldn’t let that change a thing – Richie was a weird guy already, and Eddie wanted to make it clear that, abnormal or not, he wasn’t going anywhere. With that in mind, he took a minute to consider his words, and then he said, “You’re_

 

 

 

 

not seriously going to eat that whole thing, are you?” Stan asks, nose crinkling slightly as the waitress places a plate in front of Eddie. The burger placed there looks almost as big as his head and absolutely glistening with grease, every little detail of the thing showing off how unhealthy it is. Richie has a proud grin on his face, and despite the disgust written on Stan’s features, he looks kind of impressed, too. “I’ll give you five bucks if you don’t throw up after.”

            “Get ready to pay up, Uris,” Eddie grins. There’s still some nerves, bundled up in the pit of his stomach and making his heart speed up here and there, but he’d managed to relax for the most part about halfway through the movie. Richie had thrown some popcorn at Stan and Stan hadn’t hesitated to dump the rest of the popcorn over Richie’s head, and Eddie had remembered, while trying to stifle his laughter, that, date or not, these are two of his best friends, and there’s no reason to be so nervous that he’d been toeing at the line between nerves and fear. He could never be scared of them.

            Richie lets out a laugh and kicks out a leg to nudge his foot against Eddie’s calf as he says, “Burger and the shake, I’ll throw in another five. _And_ I’ll pay for your food.”

            Another laugh, only this time from Stan, and it sounds a little more joking than anything else as he props his chin in his hand and asks, “Aren’t you paying anyway? I saw Went hand you some cash before we left your house. Besides, you’re the one who set up this whole thing.”

            “That’s not true!” Richie defends quickly, pointing a finger at Stan before moving it over to point it at Eddie accusingly. “He did. The whole thing’s on him. All I did was cry to him about feeling like a freak. He’s the one who actually functions like a normal human and went to you about it.”

            “I just did what you were too scared to do,” Eddie shrugs, picking up his burger and suppressing the urge to wince at the weight of it – it really is hefty, but he’s been on a kick lately. A doing-things-his-mother-wouldn’t-approve-of kick. Which may have been why he chose to come out in the first place, despite being certain a mere six months ago that he wouldn’t dare utter a word about his sexuality crisis until after getting the hell out of this town. It could also be a big factor as to why he’s here right now and now shying away from it, like he definitely would have done had this happened any sooner than it did.

            Plus, he likes burgers, even disgustingly unhealthy ones. He’s just never really let himself enjoy them before now. And Richie already told them he’s planning to pay, so that’s just a bonus.

            Richie scoffs, crosses his arms over his chest and tries to pretend he’s not still smiling as he asks, “Oh, yeah? And what, my dear Eds, was I too scared to do?”

            “Communicate,” Eddie answers simply, shrugging his shoulders like the answer is obvious. “No offense, Tozier, but confrontation isn’t your strong suit. Someone had to grow a pair, and it definitely wasn’t gonna be you, so I did it instead. You’re welcome.”

            There’s a short beat of silence before Stan bursts into laughter, slapping a hand down on the table and bringing the other up to his mouth to muffle his endless snickering into his palm. Richie just squints at Eddie, a smile playing at his lips, and says, “I’m not gonna lie. I feel like I’m being attacked.”

            “You should,” Stan manages through his chuckles.

            “You’re welcome,” Eddie says again, a little bit louder this time, raising his brows expectantly. “If you don’t say thank you, I’m dumping your chocolate monstrosity of a milkshake down your shirt.”

            Letting out a faux sigh of pain, Richie lulls his head back and clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth, lifting a hand to raise a single finger in the air. “One,” he starts, “there’s no way in hell you can judge my choice in shake when you’re chugging down fake ass strawberry shit.. Stan can judge me, because he’s a vanilla guy and I can respect that, but someone who actually likes the taste of artificial strawberry? No fucking way, Eds. And two—” he lifts a second finger, grinning, “—thank

 

 

 

 

_you for letting me come over,” Eddie said, trying not to let his nerves get the best of him as he toed off his shoes and followed Stan up the stairs. The Uris residence was a familiar one, but not one that Eddie was particularly used to. While Andrea and Donald had always been fairly kind, the house itself was always a bit too tidy for the losers to hang out in – knowing them, something would end up broken and they’d feel so bad that they’d all burst into tears with guilt._

_Stan glanced over his shoulder halfway down the hall, a weird little smile playing at his lips, like he knew he should be smiling but was struggling to make it happen. “Any time,” he replied, though there was a twinge in his brow, like he was confused as to why Eddie had called him up in the first place. Eddie supposed that confusion was fully deserve – he had been stuttering on the phone, stumbling over his words and trying to say the least suspicious thing he could. Clearly, he’d failed on that front._

_“I know this is kind of, like, last minute,” Eddie started when they made it to Stan’s room, the door clicking shut behind him, “but I kind of need to talk to you about something.”_

_“Are you gonna tell me you’re gay?” Stan asked, brows raised. “’Cause you already did that.”_

_It was just shocking enough to startle a laugh out of Eddie, and he felt himself relax a little. This was Stan, and Stan was understanding, and Eddie was gonna get through this just fine. With those reassurances, he stepped forward and pulled out the chair placed in front of Stan’s desk, carelessly plopping himself down in it and shaking his head with a slight smile. “That’s not it, no.”_

_“Then don’t look as scared as you did then,” Stan said, sitting cross legged on his bed and leaning against the headboard with his own little smile, though he still scanned over Eddie with a certain wariness that was nearly impossible to miss. “It’s making me nervous.”_

_Eddie huffed out another chuckle, but it wasn’t as genuine as he started sorting through his thoughts, trying to figure out the best way to say this. “It’s about Richie,” he settled on after a moment, choosing not to acknowledge the way Stan’s brows quirked up a little further in reaction. “He, uh… he showed up at my house last night, which isn’t too unusual, you know?”_

_“He shows up here, too,” Stan nodded. “Usually after he goes to your house, because he knows he can’t stay overnight since your mom could see him. He just doesn’t like being alone in his room, so he goes home sometimes, but not that often.”_

_“Oh.” Eddie blinked, a little surprised. He didn’t know that. “Huh.”_

_Stan waved a hand dismissively through the air. “Sorry. Continue.”_

_It took a moment for Eddie to remember what he had been saying, which lead to him clearing his throat somewhat awkwardly and bobbing his head once in a quick nod. “Right,” he murmured, bringing up a hand to rub the back of his neck. “Um, so, like I said, it’s not unusual for Richie to show up, but last night was… different. He just… he came in, and he sat down, and he… he started talking about something being wrong with him. And then he, uh- he told me some stuff, and I don’t know if I’m actually supposed to be telling you any of it, but I can’t- I- I don’t know what to do about it? And it kind of involves you, and maybe he’ll get mad at me for this, but I don’t really know what else to do, so…”_

_“It involves me?” Stan repeated, leaning forward slightly, bracing his hands on the bedspread when he leaned too far and almost toppled forward. He didn’t seem bothered by that, though, as he quickly scanned over Eddie’s features with concern in his eyes. “What is it? Is he okay?”_

_“Um…” Eddie trailed off, tilting his head from side to side with a little frown. “That’s, uh… that’s debatable, I think. And I think it might be my fault, a little bit? Not really, but it kind of feels like it, because it’s something he only realized after I came out.”_

_“After you…?” Stan stopped, jaw dropping a little. “Do you mean he’s… is he…?”_

_Shrugging, Eddie answered, “Maybe? I mean, he has to be at least a little gay, ‘cause he told me he likes both of us, and neither of us are girls.”_

_The noise that Stan made was almost a laugh, only it was choked off and kind of squeaked at the end in surprise. His eyes went wide, almost scarily so, and if it was any other situation, Eddie might have laughed, but this wasn’t any other situation. Honestly, Eddie was expecting Stan to explode, whether it be into a lot of yelling or to just literally, physically burst on the seams._

_Instead, Stan leaned back, his body almost deflating, and he hoarsely whispered, “I think I might be, too. I… I don’t know, but since you told us, I’ve been… I’ve been thinking, you know?”_

_“Yeah, I know,” Eddie said, perhaps a little too fast. Stan looked back at him in mild shock, a crease between his brows, leading Eddie to explain, “You did the same thing Richie did. Both of you, at the same time… you both started flirting with me, because I’m the only person that you know likes boys. And before you say anything, I’m gonna tell you what I told Richie, because even if the reason behind it wasn’t ideal, I… I liked it, getting so much attention from you two.”_

_“You did?” Stan asked, voice a little too soft._

_With another shrug, this one more meek than the last, Eddie said, “Yeah, I did. I mean, we live in Derry, you know? And I only came out to you guys, so I didn’t think anything would happen until after we moved away from here and I could meet other guys, but then you two got all… I dunno. I already thought you two were great, and then you were pulling all these stupid moves that should have been annoying but were… kind of cute, I guess? So, it’s okay, and I get it.”_

_Slowly, Stan shook his head, bringing up a hand to chew nervously on his thumbnail. “I don’t think you do,” he murmured, looking deep in thought, the cogs almost visibly turning in his head as he considered what to say. Eddie only watched, a little confused, until Stan let out a sigh and told him, “I think, at first, I turned to you because I was thinking about it and realizing I might have feelings for Richie, but after I started flirting with you, and especially after you started flirting back, I… I think I’m in the same boat as Richie, here. I think I…” he trailed off, frowning. “But is that even a thing? Liking two people like that? I’ve never heard of—”_

_“I haven’t, either,” Eddie interrupted, “but I told Richie last night that I think it shouldn’t matter. And when he left, I figured that, if it’s not usual, then maybe we can just… all be a little unusual, you know? Because I think I might like you both, too, and if Richie likes me and you, and you like me and Richie, then maybe we… I dunno. Maybe we can make it work. Or at least try to.”_

_For a long minute, Stan only looked at Eddie, his eyes unreadable and his features kind of blank, but Eddie could see the way the ends of his lips twitched as he thought. Then, with a long, slow breath, he said, “I think we need to call Richie.”_

_“We do?” Eddie asked, watching as Stan got to his feet and walked over to his desk, towering over Eddie as he reached for the phone – the Uris’s got an extension for Stan’s room after too many late night calls from one (or more) of their friends. As Stan brought it up to his ear, hand poised in front of him, ready to dial Richie’s number in, Eddie leaned over and added, “What are you gonna say?”_

_Stan looked at him, faltering only a moment before answering, “I’m gonna tell him that we should do something about this. I_

have to say,” Richie says, sounding oddly timid as he stuffs his hands in his front pockets and offering a sheepish smile when Stan and Eddie both look his way. The only reason they can see him is because of the moon, thankfully not hidden behind cloud on this specific night, and it’s thanks to the light from the moon that they can see him shivering. Instantly, Stan is shucking off his coat, plenty warm with the sweatshirt he’s wearing underneath, and silently hands it to Richie, who flounders for a moment before accepting the offer with an even wider, even more sheepish smile. “Thanks,” he murmurs.

            Stan just grins and crosses his arms over his chest, glancing over when Eddie asks, “What were you gonna say?”

            “Oh, uh—” Richie pauses, pulling on Stan’s jacket and using it as an excuse to avert his gaze to the ground, instantly putting his hands back in his pockets once his arms are through the sleeves (a little short, yeah, but he’s not gonna complain) and shrugging his shoulders slightly. “I dunno, just… this is… this was good, right? Like… I don’t fuckin’ know, maybe I just read the entire night wrong, but I think… I think this could work, you know? All three of us. I mean, do you… do you think so?”

            For a long minute, there’s no response, and all Richie does is stare pointedly at the ground and scuff the toe of his shoe against the cement, kicking at small pebbles and any clumps of dirt that he can find. Eddie wants to respond – feels like he should be the first to respond, seeing as this all started with his coming out in the first place – but the words just aren’t there to explain what he thinks. Because he thinks this could be great, the three of them. He thinks that they’re sixteen and they’re stupid and they’re trying to figure out who they are and how they feel, but they could be great.

            And it’s as he’s thinking this that Stan makes a move, glancing around once to make sure there’s no one lingering around to see them before he reaches forward, arms extended and hands cupping Eddie’s cheek and all Eddie has time to do is blink once in shock before he feels lips on his and—

            _Oh._

            Vanilla milkshakes have never been Eddie’s favorite, a bit too bland for his taste, chocolate a bit too sweet, but the taste of something sugary and sticky coating Stan’s lips as their mouths slot together changes his mind in an instant. Vanilla has never tasted this good before.

            “Oh my god,” he hears Richie say, followed shortly by another, a little bit more incredulous and much more airy, “Oh my _god.”_

            “Yeah, okay, shut up,” Stan says, pulling away from a stunned Eddie and spinning on his heel. He wastes no time before gripping onto the collar of his own jacket and pulling a completely compliant Richie forward, and Eddie understands why Richie had sounded so breathless, because seeing Stan and Richie kiss makes Eddie feel like he’s standing at the edge of a cliff and is about to fall.

            But, like, in a good way. In a really, _really_ good way.

            When Stan pulls away from Richie, it’s with an audible pop, and as Richie blinks at the two of them with wide eyes, he simply smoothens out the crinkles in the jacket collar. A few moments later, it becomes clear that both Eddie and Richie have been rendered speechless by Stan’s actions, so he gives in and says, “That’s my answer on that. What do you two think?”

            “Um.” Richie nods, blinks again, looks from Stan to Eddie and back again. “Yeah. That. Yes.”

            Stan is grinning when he faces Eddie, brows raised. “What do you think?”

            “I…” Eddie trails off, his gaze flickering back and forth between the two boys in front of him, feeling a little helpless. His words are slow and careful, sounding almost slurred as he says, “I think… I think that I really liked that kiss, and… and I think I want to kiss Richie now, too.”

            Richie, for his part, looks seconds away from happily dying of a heart attack as he jerks his head in a nod and stammers out a, “Yeah, that, uh- that’s a good idea. We should

 

 

 

 

_go on a date.”_

_“A date?” Stan repeated, glancing at Richie with raised brows, only to quickly look away. None of them were really meeting eyes, feeling timid and unsure, trying to discuss this thing but feeling somewhat afraid of what the discussion will lead to. Seeing as Richie was the one that had been brought to tears over the stress of the situation, they weren’t really expecting him to be the first to speak up, but here they were, and there Richie was, staring at the ceiling and looking like he kind of wanted to physically shove his words back down his throat. Stan leaned forward, still not meeting his eyes, and said, “Like, all three of us? You think we should go on a date?”_

_“I think it could be good,” Eddie offered, staring down at his fingers as they picked at the knees of his jeans, idly kicking his feet back and forth in the air. They’d all spread out around the room, Richie kind of curled up on his bed and Stan leaning against the door, but Eddie, for some reason, had decided to sit on top of the dresser, back to the wall and feet dangling over the edge. Richie glanced at him, as if surprised by his input, before instantly looking away. A little softer, Eddie explained, “I just mean, if we do that, we can see how it would work, you know? Test the waters and see if this is something that could really work, and see where to go from there. Just… I don’t think it would hurt to try.”_

_Stan nodded slowly, brows pinched together, and he broke the cycle of avoiding each other’s gazes, looking straight into Eddie’s eyes from across the room as he said, “That’s a good point.” Then, looking directly at Richie, he added, “And I think that’s a good idea. But… when? And what would we do? There’s not really a whole lot of options in Derry.”_

_“It doesn’t have to be big,” Richie shrugged, bringing up a hand to thumb at his lower lip nervously and clearly trying not to show how much he was struggling to get his words out. “I mean, it can just be like normal, you know? We can do something we always do, and it’ll just be different because it’ll be a date, and if it feels weird or wrong or… I dunno,_ bad, _I guess… then we just won’t do it again.”_

_“And I’m free tomorrow,” Eddie added, glancing back and forth between Stan and Richie, still kicking his legs back and forth in a way he hoped looked casual. Both sets of eyes fell on him instantly, looking a little shocked. Eddie just clicked his tongue and offered a half-shrug. “Just saying.”_

_Turning to Richie, Stan raised his brows in a silent question. Richie stared back at him, looking speechless, and turned back to Eddie with wide eyes. “Um… I’m_

pretty sure it doesn’t take this long to kiss someone,” Stan points out, though he’s kind of grinning, his cheeks a little red from both the cold and the situation they’re in.

            Richie blanches, throwing out a hand to gesture at Stan wildly as he exclaims, “Well, sorry I don’t have fuckin’ balls of steel! Jesus, Stanley, how do you even just fuckin’ go for it like that? Like, fuck, man, I don’t know what you think, but I’m a fucking pussy and being under pressure like this is—”

            “Then I’ll do it,” Eddie cuts in, only taking a moment to shake out his hands nervously by his sides before stepping forward, determination bubbling beneath his skin. The way Richie’s mouth snaps shut is audible and almost a little too loud, and he doesn’t move a single muscle, doesn’t really react, but when Eddie reaches forward and grabs him by the face (perhaps a bit too aggressively, but this is a big thing and Eddie’s kind of freaking out right now, so it’s whatever), Richie is just as compliant as he had been with Stan, leaning in and closing his eyes and sucking in a harsh breath moments before their lips meet, and it’s…

            Well.

            Eddie thinks he might be a fan of chocolate shakes, after all.

            It’s a bit different than kissing Stan, but it’s just as good, just as sweet and dizzying. He thinks it might last a few seconds, but it feels like a lot longer, and when Eddie pulls away, he watches as Richie blinks a few times, smacks his lips together, looks to Stan, and says, “Okay. Cool. That’s cool.”

            “It’s cool?” Stan laughs, rolling his eyes slightly and shoving at Richie’s shoulder, reaching out to tug on Eddie’s sweater sleeve to get them moving. Eddie’s already resigned himself to having to lie to his mom for being out so late, and as much as he’d love to linger here a bit longer, he can’t help but be a little grateful for Stan – if he’s not walking through his front door in twenty minutes or less, he’s going to be put in lock down for a week. And he thinks that’s why Stan gets them walking, because he flashes Eddie a little grin that looks both giddy and understanding, and he tells Richie, “You’re damn right it’s cool.”

**Author's Note:**

> lemme know what you think and as always feel free to hmu on tumblr @ lo-v-ers !! :D
> 
> also is this an abrupt ending? yes it is, but could i think of a better way to end it? no i couldn't, so this is what you get.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Hershey's](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18402299) by [PointyAnimeTeeth](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PointyAnimeTeeth/pseuds/PointyAnimeTeeth)




End file.
